What we do:

Maths & Manipulatives

The girls got straight into the new resources we bought at Spotlight yesterday, so we spent some time revising number 2 for Maitlyn, (she doesn't yet know 2, 3, 7, & 10 very well) and number 11 - 20 for Braylee.

Maitlyn revising number 2 - she coloured it in rainbow colour stripes. Worksheet from http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/numbertime/print/writing_numbers/index.shtml

Braylee sorting the new manipulatives into groups of three. She discovered that 4 groups of 3 make a total of 12 (4x3=12).
Playing a game of Concentration (or Memory) with the numbers 0-12. They had to call out the numbers as they turned them over. They enjoyed this - especially Braylee, she won.
Braylee loves this activity with geometric shapes that you hammer into the cork board with little tacks - she must have used it 4 times in the one day. Great buy from the second-hand kids shop at just AU$4 .

OUR HOMESCHOOL SUPPLIES & RESOURCES

Maths Supplies:

Some of our Maths supplies I picked up yesterdat at Spotlight store - lot of Manipulatives which the girls helped pick out. The number lines I made up on cardboard up to the number 21.

A multiplication tables book, number chart, and a multiplication chart and number cards which I made on cardboard.


Reading & Phonics supplies:

Early Reader books (above) and some plastic lowercase letters, frij magnet letters and a spelling book.

Games & activities: our coffee table

The girls can choose their own activity. We call it quiet time, which is just after lunch. They can choose which room they would like to go to and spend time doing a quiet activity or two for an hour or so. We have more resources put away and I change them around every few weeks.

OUR HOMESCHOOL SET-UP

Our dining room:
This is where I keep most of their work & activities for the week. The girls just choose which activity they would like to do next. Of course some of them they turn their nose up at, so I just leave them there or try to interest them later on, may be even adapt the activity to suit their interests. (note the horses head on the Maths sheet - Miss 6 loves horses).


Getting organised:
The girls have paper scrapbooks for each subject - Maths, English, Science, which we paste each days work into. As you can see we have been reviewing number 9.

I draw up charts with lists of activites that are useful for revision and tick them as we use them (say 3-4 times a month) - saves me having to think up ideas every week. I just use the same ones over again, eg. Making playdough letters/words, Frij magnet sentences, Leap pad, Cut up words.
I keep a list of all the useful websites I come across over time next to the computer, listed under different subjects such as Phonics, Science, Animal studies, etc, otherwise my Favourites list would be enormous!

Voyage of Discovery - Captain Cook

This week we delve into a new adventure - the maiden voyage of Captian James Cook and his disocveries including Australia in 1770. This follows on from our time spent exploring Australian states and Australia Day.

The program for the morning:

1. Read book 'The cat that went to sea"

2. Colour in stensil of caravel ship (see www.enchantedlearning.com/vehicles/caravelbig.shtml ).
3. Discover a letter from the Monarchy commisioning Capt. Cook with his new ship. http://score.rims.k12.ca.us/activity/newworld/ which details what is required including an Explorers notebook detailing drawings and samples of new discoveries of riches, metals, gold, plants and landmarks.

4. Make a Captain hat from newspaper and a telescope.

5. Cast off in the Endeavour and discover Tahiti, New Zealand and Australian east-coast.


We learnt a fun and catchy new song:
Captain Cook discovered Australia in 1770,
He pulled in his ship, Endeavour, and made a cup of tea!

Maitlyn has trouble identifying some numbers, so I bought this puzzle so she can make them up and count the number of objects on them for re-enforcement.

Advance Australia Fair / The 3 R's.

So continues our focus on Australia after enjoying a BBQ in honour of Australia Day on Saturday. Sunday was spent at Longneck Lagoon/Dee Why beach (who was it forgot to take the camera?) and Monday was a public holiday. None-the-less the girls still asked for school work so we moved out on the verandah as it was such a nice morning. Braylee has learned all the words to Advance Austraia Fair and loves to do 'concerts'.

Braylee's first spelling list - she practices for 3 days then covers them to test herself on the last day. Maitlyn practices counting.

Braylee made this out of stickers reviewing where the states of Australia are and it was also good practise using a ruler. Below she is doing Lesson 15 on www.clicknkids.com, a phonics program she enjoys. ITS FREE!

We spent Wednesday morning playing addition with her Pa and Grandma, seeing who could get the right answer then checking it on the calculator, then doing HEAPS of worksheets (horse ones of course, made up by Mum). She LOVES horses. We also cooked some Anzac cookies, Braylee wrote out the recipe by drawing pictures of the ingredients.

Braylee enjoying doing some of her knitting - making squares to make a blanket. Maitlyn very proud of her Anzac cookies.

HERE WE GO FOR 2008.....

Although planning to take time off during the school holidays, both girls are asking "Mum, is there any school work we can do?" So, we begin in a sort of unplanned way but nonetheless, I have found loads of resources for the new year one of which is a website dedicated to a 'learning to read and write' program written by the US government but totally appropriate for both girls.

Here's the link: http://www.ed.gov/pubs/CompactforReading/table1.html

Kindergarten through to 3rd grade is all there - WOW, what a resource.

Miss B (age 6) wasn't keen on worksheets last year and writing is not a strong interest of hers, however she LOVES getting mail, so we have arranged for the 'postman' (he he) to deliever a set of work in th letterbox each week and so far, so good - they are motivated to have a go. I love that the child and adult have to sign them - makes it look all very official.

AUSTRALIA and AUSTRALIA DAY!

In prepartion for Saturdays celebrations we are discovering the states of Australia, their floral emblems, climate, National Anthem, tourist attractions and the map of Australia. Here's the wesite we used: http://www.australiaday.com.au/

Here's what the girls have done so far this week.